Fishing

She had been asking if she could go fishing with Grandpa since the beginning of the month. When she gets it into her head she wants to do something, you will not hear the end of it until it happens or she comes up with something else she wants to do more. When Dad came back into town, she got her chance. They arose early in the morning and drove down to the Salt River near Saguaro Lake and found the perfect spot near a bend in the river. She told me about how she watched the water make paths through the rocks and how it looked like leaves were playing tag with each other as they skimmed the surface over the rapids. She told me about having to use the “trashcan potty” but said it was worth it to be able to spend the morning out there. Grandpa told her stories about when I was her age and showed her how to properly cast her line. In the end, she was the only one who caught a fish. It was a large-mouthed bass and she is enormously proud. It makes me smile just to think of that beautiful look of pure unadulterated joy on her face. She asked if she could hold it and be the one to let it swim away. She pet it briefly before setting it free and said it was scaly one way, but “slimy and lovely” the other way. She can’t wait to go back.